Pump



Nov. 93. C, D, STEPHENS 1,832,257

PUMP

Filed May l5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l NOV., 17, 1931. C, D STEPHENS1,832,257

PUMP

Filed May 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 S? "gy mw Patented Nov. 17, 1931UNITED STATES CHARLES D. STEPHENS, 0F SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOBPATENT OFFICE PANY, OF DOVER, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE PUMPApplication led May 15, 1929. Serial No. 363,213.

tion is to provide a simple, efiicient and economical pump having meansfor causing the circulating of the Working fluid through the pump andwhich is admirably suited for use in the drilling process of oil wells,pumping chemicals and liquids containing grit and other impuritiesthrough a pump casmg and all cases where it is desired that thecirculat'- f ing liquid be separated from the actuating fluid in thepiston cylinder, f

A further object consists in p-rovidmg an eXpansible, hollow orcylindrical member preferably of -rubber or other suitable flexible andresilient material, for causing the pulsation or surging of thecirculating or working fluid, which member is in direct communicationwith the piston cylinder, so as to be responsive to the movement of thepiston .1n order to effect, upon its displacement, thevcirculating ofthe working fluid through the pump casing.- t

Another object comprehends the prov1s1on of means for anchoring theilexible hollow member to the interior of the casing, which meanspreferably comprises a supporting element which is embedded Within anend portion of the eXpansible member in any suitable manner such as bybeing moulded or vulcanized thereto.

A still further object is to provide means for insuring a tight sealbeing formed at the points of connection of the expansible'hollow memberwith the casing.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescrlption when taken in conjunction with the accompanying claims anddrawings: p

Referring to the drawings, 1n which 1s disclosed a preferred embodimentof the invention Figure 1 is a central horizontal cross-sectional viewof a pump embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an end View of Figure 1, with parts in section for clearanceof illustration.

\ cent wall of the end plate 17 by a Figure 3 is a sectional View takensubstantially along the line 3 3 of Figure 1. l

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 ofFigure 1.

Figure 5 isa sectional view` taken substan-` tially along the line 5 5ofFigure l.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a modiliedy form of'tlie invention'.

Figure 7 tially alongthe line 7:-'7 of Figure 6. v

Referring to the drawings 1n which like numerals indicate like parts inthe several views, l0 generally denotes a pump casing vwhich ispreferably composed of a horizontally disposed'cylinder l1, in which isreciprocably mounted a piston 12, the rod 13 of which extends throughljagland 14 and packing 15 positioned -at one end of the cylincler so as-to be operatively connected to any suitablel prime mover, not shown.

Associated with the cylinder 11 are the spaced chambers or water boxes16 having the end plates or closure 17 secured thereto. Each of thechambers 16 is provided with an annular lower flange 18, that isconnected to a complementary formed flange y19 on the cylinder 11 by theretaining bolts 2O (Fig. 4). An opening 21l in the bottom of each of thechambers 16 aligns with a complementary opening 22 in the cylinder 11,that is located adjacent! the end strokel of the piston 12. 'lhecommunication established by expan'sible, hollowor cylindrical member 23preferably of rubber or other suitable flexible.v

and resilient material.

The expansible member 23 is of such a length as to be substantiallycoextensive with each of the chambers 16 and may have its upper endclosed and connected to the adjal dise 24, which is secured to the endplate by the screws 25 (Fig. 3). The disc 24 is preferably provided Witha peripheral flange 26 having an annular recess 27 arranged to receive acomplementary, enlarged, beaded end portion'28 of the expansible member23. The flange 26 is embedded within the outer curved skirt or lip 29 ofthe expansible member 23 TO STEPHENS PUMP COM f is a sectional viewtaken substan-fV in any suitable manner, such as by being moulded orvulcanized thereto under heat and pressure. An annular locking ring maybe suitably secured to the flange 26 and embedded in the enlarged,beaded portion 2S, so as to further insure a firm and permanentconnection between the parts.

In order to preventthe escape of fluid past the' expansible member 23,at its point of connection to the end plate 17, the ends 31 and 32 ofthe skirt 29 are confined between the adjacent wall of the end plate anda plate 33, which is secured to the disc 24 by the bolts 34, thusproviding a clamping means which will insure a tight seal being formedwhen the parts are assembled.

The lower opened end of each of the expansible members 23 is similarlysecured to the chambers 16 and in order that this may be effected, themember 23 has an enlarged annular bead 35 provided with a recess36,which receives a complementary portion 37 of a metallic ring 38, whichring is clamped between the flanges 18 and 19 bythe bolts 2O f (F ig.4). Thebeadedend portions of the expansible members 23 may further bereinforced by the small metal rings 39, that are embeddedtherein.

The interior of the cylinder 11 and the expansible members 23 aresupplied with any suitable actuating or transmission fluid 40, suchaswater, air,.oil or the like, from a tank or reservoir 41, whichcommunicates with the flexible members 23 through the pipe 42 and thebranch connections 43, that extend through the top of the end plate 17into the interi-or of the expansible mem-v bers 23. .The valves 44 inthe branches 43 regulate thel flow of the fluid to the flexible members23 and are so positioned as to be conveniently operated in order toreplenish any of the fluid that might be lost due to leakage at anypoint within the cylinder or the expansible members.

The working or circulating fluid 45, such.

as water or the like, is introduced into each of the chambers 16 througha pipe 46, which communicates with an inlet valve casing 47 Ihaving avalve seat 48 and a normallyclosed vvalve 49, that is arranged to beraised from its seat against the tension of a spring 50, by the suctioncreated within the chambers 16, during thev operation of the piston 12.The circulating fluid 45 leaves the chambers 16 through an outlet valvecasing 5l, which communicates with a pipe 52 that conducts the fluid toany suitable point of use from where it may be returned to the casingthrough the pipe 46. The valve casing 51 is similarly provided with avalve seat 53, normally closed by a spring-pressedvalve 54. Each of theoutlet valve casings 51 is preferably positioned adjacent the bottom ofthe chambers, in lorder to preclude the possibility of trapping anyresidue or other foreign matter within the chamber during the operationof the pump.

The lower end of each of the expansible members 23 is preferably oflarger inside and outside diameters than its upper end, so that themembers 23 may be bodily inserted into the chambers 16 from the lowerend thereof. Moreover, in order to insure a proper operation of thevpump, the area of the ports 22, which communicate the cylinder 11 withthe interior of the expansible members 23, is substantially of the samearea as that of the piston 12.

The operation of the pump is as follows. Assuming that the cylinder 11and expansible members 23 have been filled with the proper amount ofactuating fluid 4() and the working fluid 45 is confined in each of thechambers 16 between the inner wall thereof and the adjacent outer wallof the expansible mem- It will be observed that the pressure exerted bytheexpansion of the members 23 will cause the automatic operation of theoutletl valve 53, allowing the working fluid to escape from the chambers16, while the return of the member 23 to its normal position due to theescape of the working fluid, creates a suction in each chamber 16,which, in turn, opens the inlet valve 50 so as to replenish the supplyof the working fluid.

Should, for any reason, the actuating fluid 40 escape from theexpansible members 23 or the cylinder 11,.a fresh supply may readily beintroduced into the flexible members through the pipes 43. While thevalves 44 are shown so as to be manually actuated, any suitableautomatic means may be employed for effecting this operation. By reasonof the tight seal or joint formed between the ends of the flexiblemembers 23 and their points of connection with each of the chambers,positive means are provided for preventing these parts from becomingloose or worn and thus causing an impairment or less in efliciency inthe operation of the pump.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 issubstantially similar to the form previously described with theexception that the expansible member 55` which is made of rubber or anyother suitable flexible and resilient material, is composed of a singlepiece having closed sides and upper end portions and an open lowerportion 56, which communicates through the passage 57 with the interiorof the piston cyl. inder 58. The open end portion 56 of the flexiblemember preferably terminates in a beaded recess 59, in which is embeddeda metallic retaining lug or member 60, preferably of the particularshape as shown in Figure 7. The lug 60 is supported on a ring 61confined between the flanges 62 and 63 of the piston cylinder 64 and theWater box 65 respectively. The lug 60 is secured in position by thescrews 66 which extend through the ring 6l and engage the threadedrecesses 67 formed therein.

Obviously, the invention vmay be associated With a single chamber inwhich is confined the Working fluid or any number of chambers in whichare mounted expansible members that communicate with the cylinders, soas to be responsive to the differential pressure cre.- ated by thereciprocating of the pistons to impart a pulsating movement to theworking fluid in order to force the same into and through the chambers.Moreover, the pump may be constructed so that the actuating fluid 40will surround the hollow expansible member 23, while the circulating orpumped fluid 54 will pass inside of and through the said ex'pansiblemember 23 and be controlled by suitable inlet and exhaust valves. ItWill be observed that the expansible hollow member 23 constitutes a wallor partition for separating the actuatingr fluid from the circulating orpumped fluid.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shownand described are merely illustrative of preferred embodiments and thatsuch changes and modifications thereof may be made as fall within thepurview of one skilled in the art without depart ing from the spirit ofthe invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a pump of the class described, the combination of a casing havinga piston cyhnder and an angularly disposed chamberta flexible hollowTexpansible member in said chamber and having one end closed and itsopposite end communicating with sa1d cylinder, the opened end portion ofsaid flex1ble member having an annular ange, means secured to saidchamber and embedded in said flange for anchoring the flexible member inthe chamber, said cylinder and flexible member having confined thereinan actuating fluid, a circulating fluid in said chamber,

said chamber having inlet and outlet control means for regulating theflow of the circulating fluid, and a piston for causing the expansiohand contraction of the flexible member and the flow of the circulatingfluid into and throughsaid chamber.

2. In a pump of the class described, the combination of a'casing havinga longitudinal piston cylinder and s aced vertically disposed chambers,a flexi 1e hollow member ymounted in leach of said chambers and havingan open end communicating with the cylinder, said cylinder and flexiblemembers having confined therein an actuating fluid, a circulating fluidin each of said chambers, and a piston for causing the expansion andcontraction of said flexible members whereby to force the circulatingfluid through said chambers. 4

3. In a pum of the class described, the combination o a casing having alongitudinal piston cylinderand spaced vertically disposed chambers, apiston in said cylinder, a flexible` hollow member mounted in each ofsaid chambers and having an open. end communicating with the cylinderadjacent the end strokes of the piston, means for securing the endportions of each of the flexible members to the interiors of thechambers, said cylinder and flexible members having confined therein anactuating fluid, a circulating fluid in each of said chambers, and meansfor controlling the flow of the circulating fluidA through saidchambers, said piston serving to cause the expansion and contraction ofsaid flexible members whereby to force the circulating fluid throughsaid chambers.

4. In a pump of' the class described, the combination of a casing havinga longitudinally disposed piston cylinder, a piston Vin said cylinder, apair of spaced vertically disposed chambers communicating adjacent theend strokes ofthe piston with said cylinder, a. flexible hollow memberin each of saidv chambers and arranged to close the conimunication ofsaid cylinder with the chambers, means securing the 4lower yend of eachof said flexible members to its chamber, said cylinder and flexiblemembers having confined therein an actuating fluid for causing theexpansion of said flexible members, a circulating fluid in each of saidchambers, and inlet and outlet means associated with said chambers forcontrolling the flow of the circulating fluid, said piston serving tocause the circulating fluid to pass into and through said chambers.

5. In a pump of the class described, the combination of a casing having'a longitudinal piston cylinder and spaced vertically disposed chambers,a piston in said cylinder, a flexible hollow member mounted in each ofsaid chambers and having an open end communicating with the cylinderadjacent the end strokes of the piston, means for securing the open endportions of said flexible members to the casing, said cylinder andflexible members having confined therein an actuating fluid for causingthe expansion of said flexible members, a circulating fluid in each ofsaid chambers, and inlet and outlet valves associated with said chambersfor controlling the circulating fluid, said piston serving to cause theflexible members to be alternately expanded and contracted so as toforce the circulating fluid into and through each of the chambers.

6. In a pump of the class described, the combination of a casing havinga longitudinal piston cylinder and spaced vertically disposed chambers,a piston in said cylinder, a

flexible hollow member mounted in each of said chambers and having anopen end communicating with vthe cylinder, said cylinder m and flexiblemembers having confined therein an actuating fluid, means extendingthrough said chambers and communicating with said flexible members forsupplying the actuating fluid to the cylinder and flexible members,

and a circulating fluid in each of said chambers, said piston serving tocause lthe expansion an-d contraction of said flexible members wherebyto force the circulating fluid through said chambers.

20. 7. In a pump casing, an expansible hollow member having an open endprovided with an annular recess, and a pair of spaced skirt portions, aretaining element carried by said casing and having one end thereofmoulded l in said recess, and clamping means for securing said retainingelement in position, said 1 skirt portions being confined between saidretaining element and said clamping means so as to provide a tight jointbetween the parts.

3G 8. In a pump of the class described, the

combination of a casing having a piston cylinder and a pair ofcirculating fluid chambers,

inlet and outl-et means associated with said chambers, a flexible hollowmember mounted in each of said chambers and having an open endcommunicating with said cylinder,

said cylinder and flexible members having confined therein an actuatingfluid, and a piston movable in said cylinder to cause alternatecontraction and expansion of said members to draw circulating fluidthrough said inlet means into said chambers and force the same out ofsaid chambers through said outlet means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES D. STEPHENS.

